Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Stockton, California 95205
Monday, August 27, 1990 7:10

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT LANDED THE HELICOPTER AND IT WAS RELOADED WITH CHEMICALS FOR ANOTHER AGRICULTURAL SPRAYING FLIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING THE LOAD SITE, THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD SOUND ENAMATE FROM THE ENGINE AREA FOLLOWED BY A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AND VIBRATION. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION TO THE OPEN AREA, BUT MISJUDGED THE FLARE ALTITUDE AND EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING WHICH CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT MAGNETO CONTACT POINTS FAILED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE ALTITUDE DURING THE FLARE/TOUCHDOWN PHASE OF THE AUTOROTATION. FACTORS RELATING TO THIS ACCIDENT ARE FAILURE OF THE RIGHT MAGNETO.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/27/1990
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 710
Event Time Zone --
Event City STOCKTON
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95205
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1551
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID SCK
Elevation of weather observation facility 30
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 800
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1142
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42361
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N43921
NTSB Number LAX90DVD03
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Texas Helicopter
Aircraft Model M47A WASP
Aircraft Series Identifier M47A WASP
Aircraft Serial Number 76-003
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 2 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 48
Airframe Hours 2311
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AG AIR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 18417 E. HWY 4
Aircraft Owner City STOCKTON
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95205
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code MBDG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 710
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --